When President Droupadi Murmu took flight in a Rafale fighter jet from the Ambala airbase on Wednesday morning, it was more than a ceremonial gesture — it was a deliberate signal to Pakistan. Standing alongside Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh, the President’s flight underscored India’s air power and sent a clear diplomatic message.
Earlier this year, following India’s strikes on terror camps in Pakistan, Islamabad’s media had falsely claimed that Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh, one of the IAF’s Rafale pilots, had been captured. Those claims were quickly debunked by Indian authorities.
On October 29, the Varanasi-born officer personally escorted President Murmu on her maiden flight aboard the advanced Rafale multi-role fighter at the Indian Air Force base in Haryana.
The backdrop to this symbolic moment lies in Operation Sindoor, which India launched in May as a response to the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that left 26 people dead. The attack was traced back to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group. In the days that followed, Pakistan attempted to claim that it had shot down Indian aircraft, including Rafales, and captured Indian pilots.
The Indian government and military swiftly dismissed these fabrications, stating that no Indian aircraft had been lost. Instead, they revealed that Pakistan had suffered the destruction of six of its own fighter jets, including four US-made F-16s and two China-supplied JF-17s.
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh also joined the show of strength at Ambala, piloting a Rafale himself during a formation sortie. President Murmu, as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, flew in another Rafale piloted by Group Captain Amit Gehani.
The event marked not only a historic first for India’s President but also a subtle yet powerful reaffirmation of India’s air superiority and its readiness to respond firmly to any provocation.
